title: Effect of alpha-tocopherol and some metal chelators on lipofuscin accumulation in cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes.
abstract: The objective of this study was to test further the hypothesis that oxidative stress is a major causal factor in lipofuscin formation. We have previously shown that cultured cardiac myocytes constitute a suitable model system for the study of factors influencing lipofuscinogenesis. The specific aim of the present study was to elucidate the effects of the chain-breaking free radical scavenger alpha-tocopherol, and the chelators desferrioxamine, EDTA and DTPA on the accumulation of lipofuscin. The effects were examined at different degrees of oxidative stress, obtained by varying the ambient oxygen concentration from 5 to 40%. Lipofuscin was quantified by microspectrofluorometry. Lipofuscin-specific, yellow autofluorescence increased with time in culture, and with enhanced oxidative stress. Increasing concentration of alpha-tocopherol, up to 40 microM, had an inhibitory effect on lipofuscin accumulation that was most pronounced at high oxidative stress. Desferrioxamine and DTPA, both caused a pronounced reduction in lipofuscin formation, while EDTA had no significant effect. The findings are interpreted to support the concept that oxidative stress is a causal factor in lipofuscinogenesis, and that lipofuscin is a product of autophagocytosed, membrane-rich material subjected to free radical-induced, metal-catalyzed peroxidation, fragmentation, and polymerization within the lysosomal vacuome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology II, University of Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Marzabadi
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Sohal
authors.forename: U T
authors.initials: UT
authors.lastname: Brunk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008062:Lipofuscin / Q000378:metabolism*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002614:Chelating Agents; D008062:Lipofuscin; D014810:Vitamin E; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D003676:Deferoxamine; D010100:Oxygen